First Look: Patch 2.6.1

The latest patch for Diablo III is on its way! Read on to learn more about incoming class set updates, skill changes, and balance passes coming in Patch 2.6.1.

Class Set Revisions

Following the release of the Necromancer, the theme of this patch is (appropriately) balance. We’ve taken a top-down look across all class performance in Greater Rifts, and made several changes to bring as many gameplay styles as close in line to each other as possible. Targeting the most popular or requested builds, we started with Class sets, and you can expect buffs coming your way no matter which hero is your favorite.

While some sets, like Legacy of Raekor or Uliana’s Strategem, have simply received numerical tweaks in power, others have had minor functionality tweaks that make a big difference. For example, if you’re a big fan of spinning to win, you should revisit the Wrath of the Wastes set. In addition to getting a boost in damage, the damage reduction provided by the 4-piece set bonus now lasts an additional 3 seconds, making plenty of room to toss out a Rend without feeling too vulnerable.

The Necromancer isn’t left out either; if you enjoy the bloody gameplay of Trag’Oul’s Avatar, the double-life cost from the 6-piece set bonus has been removed. Hardcore players may now feel a bit more comfortable experimenting with this set, enabling oodles of gore-tastic gameplay.

Skill Changes

While most of the incoming changes are focused on items, there were some skills that needed tweaks to improve their overall performance. Skills are the stage upon which balance is built, so we identified a number of them that would benefit from more careful tuning and improved in-game performance .

For example, Crusaders with a hankering for hammers will find that the Blessed Hammer (Limitless) rune has been redesigned. The additional projectiles were causing performance issues in high density areas, so we’ve compensated by increasing both the rune’s base damage as well as its area of effect.

Other changes were more straightforward. We noticed, for example, that Arcane Orb (Frozen Orb) could not benefit from either the Power Hungry or Audacity passives due to its ideal explosion range. We’ve increased its range to 40 yards to make the intent of this skill’s synergies clearer.

Item Revisions

Like the changes made to class set items, we’ve targeted many Legendary items to help with tuning. The large majority of these are number tweaks, but keep an eye out for a few exceptions with broader updates!

Patch 2.6.1 is well on its way and will make game play options more diverse than ever! What classic build are you looking forward to revisiting? Is there a play style you’ve always wanted to try that you plan on giving a whirl? Let us know in the comments below, or ask your questions about the upcoming patch. We’ll see you in Sanctuary!